A Small Price to Pay
by all time fresh
Summary: When Lexie, a down to earth stripper, meets Matt Flyzik, her world is turned upside down. Invited to go on tour with All Time Low seems like a great idea; until feuds ignite between the boys over the competition to win over Lexie.
1. Make it a Sweet, Sweet, Goodbye

_**Chapter One - Make it a Sweet, Sweet, Goodbye.**_

Beep, beep, beep, beep. The annoying continuous sound of my alarm clock rudely awoke me just like every other day. I looked out my window at the dark, stormy night. I sighed before throwing my alarm clock across the room. Another day without him.

I did my make up in the large bathroom mirror and shuffled though my half empty closet and threw some things into a duffle bag. I looked at the clock on the ground, sitting upside down; now softly playing a static noise. 8:30. This was going to be a long night.

I parked in the back, and got out of my car. I quickly ran to the back door through the rain. "Lexie, how're you?" The large bouncer named Skip crooned as he opened the door for me. "Things have been better." His face fell, "Sorry to hear that, have fun tonight." He said as I turned to walk into the back room where the other girls were getting ready. I changed into a lacy pink bra, and fishnet tights. Angela, one of the veteran strippers, called out to the back room, "9:30 shift you're up next bitches!" She looked at me, the only one not smiling and walked over to me. "Aye kiddo, what's going on in the mind of Lexie?" I exhaled and looked up at her. "Rick." She gave me a Oh-Please-I've-Heard-This-One-Thousand-Times look. "You take him back yet?" She said, playfully hitting my arm. "No." I said. "Why not?" Her eyebrows furrowed. "'Cause Rick left me." At that moment the girls from the previous shift walked in. I was late. "I gotta go." I told Angela before running on stage to get to my pole.

I stepped on stage only a few minutes after the other girls, and two others came on with me so it was no big deal. I flashed my fake smile before making eye contact with a guy surrounded by other guys. He smirked and I winked. I danced for only a few minutes before he called me over. "Sweetie, what's your name?" he spoke, surrounded by guys who looked only about 18 or 19. First timers. "My name is Lexie. What's your name, fella?" I said back. "How old are you?" he asked, with no hesitation or answering my question. "I'm 19." I said. "My name is Matt Flyzik and I'd love to watch you dance some more." He smiled. I smiled back and nodded. I looked at the rest of the guys he was with, then got back up on stage to dance for Matt Flyzik.

After my shift, I stood outside and smoked a cigarette. I checked my phone and had one new voicemail. I put out my cigarette before listening to it. "Hey Alexis. It's Rick. I'm not coming back babe. Things are over. Bye." I listened to the message again, then again. This can't be happening. I sat down against the brick wall of the club, and cried. I tried to light another cigarette but my lighter fell in a puddle. I buried my head in my chest. "Lexie?" I heard someone say. I looked up and it was Matt. "You alright?" I looked at him and must've looked like a mess. I wiped my eyes and cleared my throat. "I'm fucking fantastic." I said, then laughed at the contrast between my words and tone. He laughed too. "Come on, why don't you come back to my tour bus and tell Papa Flyzik about it." I got up and followed him, after all, he seemed nice enough.


	2. You're Just in Time to Witness My

_**Chapter Two - You're Just In Time To Witness My First Breakdown**_

I stepped onto the bus and found the same guys from the club, huddled around an Xbox 360 and a game of Call of Duty. Being the loser that I am, I love that game and was sucked in almost immediately. Matt must've noticed my eyeline. "That's the band." He said. Or maybe he hadn't. I nodded. He said he was going to get changed, and walked to the back of the bus.

The game ended and all at once the boys looked to me. One, who must've been the leader, spoke up, "Hey sweet thang you here to pet Flyzik's Mickey Mouse?" I pulled awkwardly at the sweatshirt I was wearing, and stared down at my jeans. Then I said back, "At least he's legal." The guys all laughed and cute one with really straight teeth called me over. "You play?" he asked holding out a controller. "Fuck yeah I play." I took the controller and beat the guys brutally. "I'm Rian, this is Alex, that's Jack, and that is Zack." He said, and he picked up a tee shirt and handed it to me, "We're All Time Low." I smiled. "Sweet bro." Alex looked confused. "Sweet bro?'..Call of Duty..? Are you even a girl?" The guys tried to hold back laughter. Offended, I retorted. "You should know after the way you were looking at me tonight." To this Jack exploded with laughter and got up to sit next to me. "DIBS!" he called, and all the guys laughed.

Matt was nowhere to be seen but that wasn't my biggest problem. I liked All Time Low, and by the looks of it they liked me too.


	3. She Has No Idea That I'm Even Here

_**Chapter Three - She Has No Idea That I'm Even Here**_

Zack and Rian had gone to their bunks but Jack, Alex and I were still playing COD.  
>"You looked like you had been crying when you came in..are you alright?" Asked Jack. "Yeah, just boyfriend problems." I said trying to brush it off. "That's why I don't have one." Said Alex with a big grin on his face. "Cute." I said. "After this game I'm going to bed." Said Alex and so Jack paused and ended it. "Good night." Jack said. Alex gave him a weird look but shrugged and went to his bunk. Jack looked at me expectantly, and after a few seconds I said, "What?"<br>He smiled, then hugged me. I hugged him back. I didn't know it before, but what I needed was a big hug from Jack Barakat.  
>"Tell me everything." Jack said sincerely, and I did. I cried and he held me. He laid on the couch, and I laid on top of him, with my head against his chest. In the middle of the night he kissed my forehead, but I don't think I was supposed to know.<p>

I woke up to an elbow in the face. "Oh shit! Sorry Lex!" Jack said. He was awkwardly playing Xbox with his left arm over my face so he could hold the controller. "Um, ow. It's alright." Alex looked at me from the table where he was eating a bowl of Cheerios. "I told him to just wake you up but he said you two were up all night." He snorted and poured more cereal. I looked up at Jack's face and smiled. I tried to wriggle my way off the couch to get some breakfast, but he only held tighter. "Hey, Alex..A little.." I whispered and Alex smiled and picked me up bridal style off of Jack's body. We sat down at a table together and he set a bowl and spoon in front of me. "What'd you and Jack do last night?" He asked as soon as I finished my first bite. "We talked." I said. "Hm." He said. I looked at him, waiting for him to continue but he didn't. Alex bothered me. "Hm? What's that supposed to mean?" He slowly took another bite and took his time chewing. Prick. He smacked his lips together in the way that I hate before replying, "Hm means hm. Jack is a talker, so I believe it." He got up and walked away, flicking my head as he walked past. I don't like Alex and I know why. He's just like Rick.


	4. But I'm Smiling at Everything

**_Chapter Four - But I'm Smiling at Everything_**

"So you're on tour?" I asked RIan, the sweet one. "Yes ma'am." He said back pointing to a poster, "So Wrong, It's Right." He said proudly. Zack, who laid nearby with closed eyes gave a little, "Woo hoo." I laughed and turned back to Rian. "What do you play?" I asked, and he responded by grabbing the spoons Alex and I used for breakfast and pounded out a familiar beat. "Drums?" I asked? He smiled, "Nah, the bass." I looked at him and knew he was joking and we both laughed. We stopped laughing though when we heard yelling. Alex and Jack were in the lounge screaming profanity. "Don't worry they always do this." Zack said not opening his eyes from his nap. I ignored it until I clearly heard my name. "You can't let me win for once? I like her Alex. You just want to fuck her so you can add her name to your list of strippers you've slept with!" There was silence before Alex spoke calmly. "Jack, dude. We're best friends." I heard crying, and Alex consoling someone. "Now, now, Jackypoo you didn't mean it. You can have Lexie, but if I can win her over she's mine." Rian smiled and Zack sat up and looked at me. I closed my eyes and rubbed my forehead.

Alex walked in a few minutes later with booty shorts and a tank top on. "Ahhhh, so there's my shoes!" he said sarcastically before bending over to reveal the phrase, "Get Low." On his ass. I giggled and looked away to Zack who was smirking. Alex walked out of the room and Rian started cracking up. I laughed too before saying, "What the hell was that about?" Zack was laughing too hard to talk, and Rian laughed every time he tried to explain, but finally I was told that, "He thinks that's attractive. It's the Alex Gaskarth mating call." Rian got out before laughing some more. "Oh gosh." I said before walking back into the lounge where Jack and Alex were cuddling. "Hey Jack..I wanted to talk to you real quick." He jumped up and ran to me, his hairy legs being revealed by similar booty shorts to Alex's. "I need to talk to you too, Lexie!" My eyebrows rose and I spoke quickly. "Oh really now?" I sat down on the couch where they were laying, and Jack asked me a question that changed my life. "Wanna go on tour with us?"


End file.
